MILWAUKEE
— Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele announced
Friday that transportation industry veteran Brian
Dranzik will become director of General Mitchell
International Airport beginning Monday.

The
airport operates as a function of the Milwaukee County
Department of Transportation. Dranzik, who was appointed
by Abele as Milwaukee County’s director of
transportation in 2012, has been interim director of the
airport since Sept. 14. Dranzik was previously interim
director of the airport for nine months in 201516, when
he oversaw the completion of MKE’s $40 million baggage
claim remodeling project, welcomed Alaska Airlines and
other new air service, and assisted with continuing the
airport’s long-term planning process.

“Brian
Dranzik has been a source of stability, leadership and
innovation in various capacities at the airport for 14
years, which makes him the obvious choice to oversee
MKE’s ongoing growth and success,” Abele said. “In
just the past two weeks, we’ve announced plans for a
new international terminal, launched new nonstop service
to Miami, and announced the major expansion of OneJet at
MKE, which will include

two
new nonstop destinations and the addition of a Milwaukee
operating base that will create up to 50 new local
jobs.”

Dranzik
leveraged the support of his network of aviation
industry leaders to help carry out Abele’s vision to
accelerate plans to build a new international terminal
at MKE. This project will demolish the current E
Concourse in 2018, which is the oldest concourse at
Mitchell, and replace it with a new terminal that can
accommodate multiple gates and flights, increase
passenger satisfaction and comfort, and house all
necessary U.S. Customs and Border Patrol services.

“I’m
incredibly proud of everything we’ve accomplished at
MKE over the past couple of years and am honored that
County Executive Abele has entrusted me with the
important task of making sure this growth is only the
beginning,” said Dranzik. “I look forward to working
with the county executive, the County Board, and of
course, the phenomenal team at MKE. I also am excited to
strengthen my associations with colleagues in the
aviation industry.”